High-pressure heating



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,967

I w. o. DURBIN HIGH PRESSURE HEATING Filed Deg. 5, 1925 vv. QOUEB/N Patented 3, 1 928.

UNITED STA TES' PATENT OFFICE.

O. DUB BIN, OF KENIMIORE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO NATIONAL ANILINE 80 CHEMICAL 00., INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

' men-reassures HEATING.

Application filed Decemberli, 1925. Serial No. 73,451.

' In chemical plant operations, where heat is commonly applied by means of steam,-

high pressure steam is utilized for the high temperaturesthat are required. But, when' the pressure in the plant steam mains is not suflicient, a separate source of high pressure steam must be provided.

It is an object of this invention to make use of low. pressure steam in high pressure heating. A further object is a control of the steam pressure to efiect a uniform temperature condition regardless of variations in the low pressure supply. Another ob ect isthe return of the excess high pressure steam to the low pressure source for recirculation or other uses. -These and other objects will appear from the following description.

In brief, the invention comprises increas ing the pressure of st'eam taken. from a low pressure source .by means of passing the low pressure steamthrou h a steam compressor or other means there y increasing its temperature and pressure the desired amount; utilizing the increased pressure steam for high temperature heating; andfexhausting Cal i 'a "fit the steam through a balanced relief valve that maintains uniform pressure conditions in the high pressure system with variable back pressures from, the low pressure source.

In the drawing accompanying this specification as an illustration of the invention. Fig. 1- is a'diagrammatic illustration of the heatingsystem; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a balanced reliefvalve used in the system.

n .Thesystem comprises a low pressure steam suppl main or source 1 from which a branc :line 2 leads to a compressor or other means 3. for increasing the pressure tothe desired high-pressure. 'From the compresso! the high pressure the vessel 5 or other heat, absorb ing means. -The vessel 5 is'equipped'with a condensate trap 5.-which the condensate {to the condensate return mains. Another line 6 conducts the steam tojagrelief valve 7 and the relief valve is-"oonnected by a return 8 to. the low pressure supply variable low pressure steam WhlOh com-' mam.

weight W, movable on the lever,

steam led through Uniform pressure, and consequently the temperature-at which, condensation is effected inthe heating of the vessel 5 is 'se-. cured by a relief valve 7. It consists of a T-shapedcasing 9 into one end of which is fitted a valve seat -10, having internal threads 11 for coupling to the high-pressure pipe line 6, and at the opposite end is a cylinder 12, in which a piston 13 reciprocates. The piston is provided with a plurality of packing grooves 14 to prevent leakage, and integral with one end of the piston is avalve stem 15 carrying the valve 16. A guiding stem 17 projects from the opposite end ofthe piston and contacts -a lever 18. f The lever is fulcrumed between a pair of projecting -bosses 19, and is further restrained from side movement by prongs 20.

vided, through which the stem 17 -pro ects. The lever 18 is of sufficient length so thata will maintain the desired pressure on the valve. The

third opening 23' in the is connected to the low pressure return 8. In place of the lever and the=weight, a spring or other pressure applying means can be used.

The ,piston and the valve constitute a control member having opposing surfaces 24 and 2 5exp osed to the pressure of the low pressure line. Their efi'ective areas are made equal and accordingly any pressure in one axial direction from the low pressure steam on the piston is counterbalanced by an equal pressure in the opposite axial direction on the valve. Consequently, as the valve move- -ment 1s only effected by'forces acting in the axial direction, the valve is not responsive to pressures in the low pressure line. The

surface 26 of the valve is subjected to axial pressure fronithe high pressure line, while the surface 27 of the piston is open to the atmospheric pressures.

The effective opposing accordingly are the high steam pressure in one axial direction. and the atmospheric pressure and the effective force of the weight W in the opposite direction. Consequently, when the high steam exceeds the opposing forces, the valve responds regardless of any variation in the low pressure line. I' claim:

1. A method of 'highpressure heating;

forces on the valve prises increasing pressure in the steam, utilizing Increased pressure steam for high tem-' perature heating, and returning the excesshigh pressure steam to the low pressure steam while maintaining uniform pressure in the high pressure steam.

2. A method of high pressure heatinjg with variable low pressure steam which comprises increasing pressure in the steam, main "ing which comprises a low pressure steam source, means connected to said source for increasing pressure in steam taken therefrom, heat absorbing means associated with said pressure increasing means, and means for maintaining a uniform increased pressure in said heat absorbing means.

4. A system of high pressure steam heating which comprises a low pressure steam source, means connected to said source for increasing pressure in steam taken therefrom, heat absorbing means associated with said pressure increasing means, means for maintaining a uniform increased pressure in said heat absorbing means, and means for exhausting excess high pressure steam into said low pressure steam source.

5. A- system of high pressure steam heating which comprises a low pressure steam source, means connectedv to said source-for increasing pressure in steam, taken therefrom, heat absorbing means associated with said pressure increasing means, and means of exhausting excess high pressure steam into said low pressure steam source, said means comprising a control member having opposed surfaces of equal area subject to low pressure and a second pair of opposed surfaces in which one surface is-subject tothe high pressure and the other surface to atmospheric pressure.

6. A system of high pressure steam heating which comprises a low pressure steam source, means connected to said source for increasing pressure in steam taken there from, heat absorbing means associated with said pressure increasing means, and means of" v maintaining a uniform pressure in said heat absorbing means by a control member responsive to changes in the high pressure linebut not responsive to changes of pressure in the low pressure line. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 7.

WVILLIAM O. DURBIN. 

